Saweetie's Next Chapter Is About The Single Life & Living In Her Truth
To say that I love Saweetie is basically an understatement at this point, as time and time again, she's in the news or on my timeline giving me all of my life. Whether she pops up on a thread with her signature, "I know that's right!" or she's seen purchasing an item that an up-and-coming designer made for her just because "everything costs money," like. I mean. She's everything.
And her approach to being a carefree, successful, modernized 20-something-year-old is everything as well.
In her latest quest, Saweetie sat down with Teen Vogue to discuss everything from growing up, to the release of her debut album, Pretty B*tch Music. Rocking a giraffe-print turtleneck dress, baby hairs laid for the gawds, a few outfit changes and a long, waist-length braid, we learned a bit more about Saweetie and what's next on her journey.
Continue reading for our favorite highlights!
On life after her first single, "ICY GRL":
While discussing how her life has changed since she released her first single, "ICY GRL", Saweetie revealed that she recorded it in her Toyota Corolla Sport because she couldn't afford studio time. But now, much of her life has changed.
"After 'ICY GRL' hit, I was in such high demand, and it really was like night and day. I had no artist's development. I realized that I never equated attention with happiness, so all that attention I was getting was overwhelming for me and I didn't know how to handle it. Which is why — fast forward to last year and this year in quarantine — I had a lot of time to reflect, and that made me want to take back my power of being confident and made me want to rethink my career."
On living her truths:
"I went from only wanting to write freestyles to having to create a hit. Now I know how to make the hits. I need to let people know that I'm a West Coast girl. I'm tri-racial. I come from a poppin', big, male-dominated family, which explains my masculine energy at times. People were only seeing 'icy girl,' but who was the girl under the blonde wig?"
On how having a Black father and Filipino mother shaped her:
Saweetie's mother was a model and manager who appeared in music videos for many artists, and her dad was a football player. But their careers didn't stop them from raising her with certain values.
"Growing up, I was confused a lot. Like, I would get mad. I think my parents not being together really just affected me emotionally as a child, and I carried that stress and disappointment [when I was] a teenager. I used poetry as a way to express myself. Because I had young parents, I had to grow up quicker because I was always being babysat by someone else. My parents are very 'do as I say, not as I do.' They're like Bay Area legends. My mom's a tiger mom. She wanted straight A's. Her disciplining me at a young age got me into the habit of achieving high goals."
Saweetie also speaks Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, which she plans to incorporate more into her music.
On her thirst for the finer things almost landing her in jail:
"Before I went to college, I almost went to jail because I got caught stealing. At a young age, I just always liked the finer things—and I'm not even talking about name brands. I just like looking good. In that moment, I was like, I'm not really about this life. I get straight A's, I'm a year-round athlete. I think the lesson was that [I had worked] too hard for everything to be thrown away."
On how movements such as BLM or 'Stop Asian Hate' has affected her:
"I felt helpless. No amount of money can bring back these lives or can Band-Aid the bruises, pains, and scars a lot of these families experience. And it makes me feel like, 'Do I matter? If I wasn't a celebrity, would they care about me if I was to get beat up?"
Eventually, she decided to put her money where her mouth is through her nonprofit, Icy Baby Foundation.
"Growing up, my mom always asked me, 'Where's your heart?' When she would question my actions and my motives, she'd be like, 'Diamonté, do you care? And if you care, what are you going to do about it?'"
On maintaining her integrity in a chaotic industry:
Maintaining her authenticity has always been a priority for Saweetie.
"When you are a young woman in L.A., sometimes you're put in situations that can help you financially but will take a jab at your soul, your body. I remember basically just having the opportunity to get some money, but in doing so I would have violated my morals and my values. I was broke but I was like, I will never do anything to disrespect myself ... no matter how desperate I get."
She didn't go into detail about exactly what happened, but she did chalk it up as a learning opportunity.
"That's a story within itself, but I think it was a moment where I was like, it's okay. You'll eventually get what you want out of life as long as you're praying and working hard."
And in the words of Saweetie, herself, "I know that's right!"
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Featured image via Rich Fury/Getty Images for dcp
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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